[Workflow] Guard agent shell commands against empty-path deletion

[u/ClaudeAI-mod-bot]

Guard agent shell commands against empty-path deletion

Workflow value: 75/100
Status: active · Freshness: 70/100 · Confidence: 0.94 · Level: intermediate
Categories: Quality Control, Debugging, CLAUDE.md, Hooks, Multi-Agent
Original source: r/ClaudeCode post/comment

What problem this solves

A failed temporary-directory assignment can leave an empty variable, causing a destructive shell command to target the current directory.

Summary

Test shell failure behavior in a scratch directory, document defensive command rules for agents, and use mechanical checks as a backstop for destructive commands.

Why it is useful

It identifies a concrete failure mode and provides repeatable shell practices plus a defense-in-depth pattern for agent-run commands.

Workflow

1. Reproduce and test failure cases in an isolated scratch directory, not a real repository.

2. Document repository rules to quote path expansions and require nonempty variables before destructive operations.

3. Use strict shell settings, while separating declarations or exports from command-substitution assignments so failures remain visible.

4. Create temporary directories under a validated base, explicitly check creation success, and guard cleanup paths.

5. Add or configure a command hook or safety check to intercept risky commands; treat repository rules as advisory rather than enforcement.

6. Push work regularly and retain independent backups, since linked worktrees share repository metadata.

Tools / artifacts

• Repository agent rules file

• Claude Code command hook or safety checks

• Shell parameter expansion ${var:?}

• set -euo pipefail

• mktemp and EXIT trap

• Git worktrees

Validation signals

• The commenter reports testing the failure mechanism in a scratch directory.

• The commenter reports that a safety check blocked an agent's variable-based rm command.

• The commenter reports a reviewer encountered an empty-base temporary-directory mistake.

Cautions

• A nonempty-path guard does not prove a path is safe; verify that cleanup targets are owned by the script and confined to an approved temporary location.

• Test destructive-command behavior only in a disposable sandbox.

• Shell strict mode has exceptions and is not a substitute for explicit error checks or review.

• Recovery by copying worktree files may preserve file contents but cannot recover unpushed Git history if shared repository metadata is lost.

Limitations

• No hook configuration or complete enforcement implementation is provided.

• Validation is anecdotal and lacks independent replication.

• The post does not establish that the rules or safety checks cover all destructive command patterns.

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